Eyes Wide Open
by Dance Elle Dance
Summary: There weren't many people in this world that were like Rick Grimes, Andrea knew. Maybe that was what intrigued her the most. RickAndrea, oneshot


_**Disclaimer: **__I don't own The Walking Dead._

_**Summary: There weren't many people in this world that were like Rick Grimes, Andrea knew. Maybe that was what intrigued her the most. RickAndrea, oneshot**_

_Yeah, so I ship these two. Not that I dislike Lori or anything, I just…like odd pairings. And Andrea is a really interesting character. And I may or may not have a tiny crush on Andrew Lincoln. Anyway, please enjoy this fic. I would love to hear your opinions and whatnot on it! _

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><p><strong>Eyes Wide Open<strong>

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><p>Andrea should know better.<p>

Of course, that never stopped her before.

She has been a part of many onesided things, romantic wise. She knows the pain that sort of thing brings, and yet she just can't stop herself from staring at one particular member of their group, that one beacon of hope and goodness that helps them through the day. She knows that she should just stop this right now, but something about this small prickling of feeling is particularly hard to shake.

She has known Rick for a while. She had been in Atlanta when he had first stumbled into their lives. Immediately she thought he was an interesting individual. And brave. Because who else would ride a horse into Walker-infested Atlanta? Someone either ballsy and brave or someone naïve and clueless.

Andrea figured that all four adjectives described Rick at some point of another.

The whole thing was juvenile. A crush. A tiny inkling of feeling that had developed and morphed into something more. She often had the feeling that she was in high school, a blushing and curious young girl crushing after the quarterback.

She _hated _that feeling.

This was the type of feeling that wasn't safe. She knew that it wouldn't help matters to actually care about these people - especially not the married leader of the group - but here she was, emotionally compromised. She cared about each and every person in their group, and she knew she wouldn't have it any other way.

Except, maybe, with the situation she finds herself in now.

She finds herself shut off in the days after Sophia's death. She hears people crying all the time now, mostly Carol. One time, she even dropped in on a broken Daryl, which had to be the most heartbreaking thing she'd ever seen.

Rick had been trying so hard to let them have a place to stay. Gone out with Herschel and captured a few of the Walkers to put in the barn. Taking over Otis' job. Andrea finds herself thinking that Shane's actions that day were unnecessary. That, even though there were Walkers in the barn, that certainly wasn't the most mature way to handle things.

But, then again, if that hadn't have happened, they wouldn't have known Sophia had been in there all along.

Andrea is torn between what she wants to think, and what she needs to think.

She had seen how Shane shot the Walkers without remorse. How it should be. She respects that. But she had also seen Shane stand stock-still as little Sophia revealed herself.

It had been Rick to step up then, asserting his quiet dominance over the unhinged Shane, and put Sophia down.

As a result, she respects Rick more for that action than she ever did Shane. Rick wouldn't resort to dirty means to get what he wanted. He was an honest, caring man that just wanted the best for everyone.

"He doesn't belong in this world, like it is now," Shane had once said.

Andrea disagrees.

She thinks that the only reason that they have stayed together this long is because of Rick. If Shane had been appointed the leader, she has no doubt that there would be more problems than peace. More turmoil, more awful fights between camp members. Rick is the glue holding this entire group together.

But, okay, she may be a bit bias.

Shane may have been the one who had taught her how to shoot, but Rick was just that. Himself. Smart and resourceful and dedicated…

Andrea can't allow herself to think more on that. Her head hurts as it is, without all of those crisscrossing loyalty ties.

She finds herself leaning back on Herschel's porch, Maggie standing next to her. Everyone else is having what looks to be a heated conversation out in the yard, but she doesn't feel the need to intervene. It looks to just involve Rick, Shane, Herschel, and Lori. Daryl and Carol are off to the side with T-Dog and Carl. Dale is sitting on his perch atop the camper. Glenn is holding Maggie's hand. The somber attitude of everyone is almost palpable.

Andrea stares out at the current confrontation, her eyes carefully assessing the situation. She watches as Rick takes the lead, talking calmly to Herschel. Watches how Lori angles herself toward him. Shane is in the back, looking menacing and large compared to Rick's frame.

Herschel holds his ground, but he looks calmer as he talks to Rick. She notices how he glances back at Shane with barely concealed contempt. She can see some reasoning has come into Herschel's eyes, but she knows that the whole thing with the Walker massacre has caused him pain.

Andrea can't help but keep all her focus on Rick, how he holds himself, how he moves his mouth when he talks. There is no trace of antagonism in his posture. He treats Herschel like an equal, not like some crazy person who thinks Walkers are still people. He crosses his arms across his chest, lifts his head up some so that the sun catches on his hair. Andrea feels her chest constrict slightly.

It amazes her that he can keep his calm so easily. He is definitely different from everyone else here, and that is what Andrea finds most interesting about him.

Andrea finds herself staring at Rick, even as he nods a bit at Herschel and departs from the conversation. She watches as he walks toward the porch. Everyone else in their group departs from their current station and starts to gather around him. Shane stalks angrily behind him, Lori walks gently beside her husband.

Rick exudes the confidence of a born leader, one that is as steady as a rock no matter what is thrown at him.

Andrea watches him walk, and finds herself thinking about the contrasts between the two of them. Shane and Rick. Rick and Shane.

Her brief fever dream of leaving the group and going off with Shane seems like it was nonexistent now. She knows now that she could never do that.

Because, no matter how much it hurt her to be around him, leaving Rick was simply not an option.

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><p><em><strong>End.<strong>_


End file.
